Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata (PMNS) matrix

The Pontecorvo–Maki–Nakagawa–Sakata (PMNS) matrix describes how different types of neutrinos—tiny, nearly massless particles—mix and change from one type (electron, muon, tau) to another as they travel. It explains neutrino oscillations, a phenomenon where neutrinos switch identities, indicating they have mass. The matrix contains angles and phases that quantify this mixing. Understanding the PMNS matrix helps scientists study fundamental properties of neutrinos and their role in the universe, including why there is more matter than antimatter. It's a key tool in particle physics for explaining neutrino behavior beyond the Standard Model.